Urgent action on climate change is a health win-win

New Zealand can make huge gains for health, now and in the future, by committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A Special Article on climate change and health is published today in the New Zealand Medical Journal https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal. The article clearly demonstrates that rather than being an environmental issue, climate change is fundamentally an issue about people’s survival and their health and wellbeing.

As well as describing risks to the health of New Zealanders from climate change, the paper also highlights opportunities for health and fairness.

“It’s a win –win opportunity. There are widespread health risks in our life-time here in New Zealand from climate change. But if we take well-designed actions now to reduce emissions we can have huge health benefits both now and into the future” says Dr Alex Macmillan, co-convenor of OraTaiao: The NZ Climate and Health Council.

The Special Article identifies great public transport, safer cycling and walking, housing insulation, clean energy and better diets as ways to get double benefit. These changes would give immediate health benefits, especially to New Zealand's poorest families, and would cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“New Zealand has the opportunity right now to improve asthma, heart disease, diabetes and cut injuries if we commit to an ambitious GHG reduction target” says Dr Macmillan.

“New Zealand has a great opportunity to step up to the climate challenge at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Lima next week. If we opt for business-as-usual, we will miss the opportunity for a more healthy, thriving population and a fairer society right now” Dr Macmillan ends.

ENDS

Media Spokesperson:Dr Alex Macmillan, Mob: 021 322 625 Dr Alex Macmillan (alex.macmillan@otago.ac.nz) is a Public Health Medicine Specialist, a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Health at the University of Otago in Dunedin, and Co­convenor of OraTaiao: The New Zealand Climate and Health Council. Her research expertise is in the intersecting areas of urban planning, climate change and public health.

Notes to editors:

BackgroundAbout the New Zealand Medical Journal Special Article The New Zealand Medical Journal Special Article is co-authored by climate health experts, including Professor Alistair Woodward, lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 5th Assessment Report (IPCC AR5) chapter on health and Associate Professor Simon Hales, lead editor of the World Health Organisation’s Quantitative risk assessment of the effects of climate change on selected causes of death, 2030s and 2050s.

About OraTaiao OraTaiao: The New Zealand Climate & Health Council comprises senior doctors and other health professionals concerned with climate change as a serious public health threat.They also promote the positive health gains that can be achieved through action to address climate change. See: www.orataiao.org.nz